Rebuilding to begin in Royal Gorge

CANON CITY — Work to rebuild the $30 million in lost structures at the Royal Gorge Bridge is expected to start next week.

“(Total) losses are in the $35 million range, including $10 million to buildings, $10 million to rides, $10 million to meet modern-day codes on what was lost, and another few million in lost revenue,” said Mike Bandera, general manager of Royal Gorge Bridge.

Although the June 11 Royal Gorge Fire leveled 48 of the attraction’s 52 buildings, it didn’t wipe out the spirit of the management team.

“It is very exciting. We have three very good architectural master plan firms working and submitting ideas, so we should be selecting one any day now,” Bandera said.

“Depending on how things shake out, we should be moving dirt next week,” he said.

The goal is to reopen the bridge in August with a one-way, drive-through-only ticket. The bridge inspector gave the 84-year-old suspension bridge a clean bill of health.

“We had some steel that needed cleaning and painting, but none of it had to be replaced. We replaced 98 wooden planks that were burned by the fire,” said Leroy Mays, bridge worker.

The first phase of reconstruction should be complete by mid-May 2014 for a full tourism season launch. Public Relations Director Peggy Gair is gearing up for a “Still Standing Tall” campaign.

“It was kind of a patriotic moment for me when I saw the bridge still standing. Flames were licking under the bridge, but man’s ingenuity prevailed,” Gair said.

Among the modern-day amenities that could come to the park are aerial trams that hold 60 people instead of 30 and have plexiglass floors or all glass walls, affording breathtaking views of the canyon.

“This is one of the most beautiful places in the world. There are not many places that have solid granite canyon walls and the views are still awesome.